Something Magical

Chapter 5

The Best Part of Coming Back

Having suffered Harry and Ron's teasing from being pulled away by Cedric Diggory the rest of the ride back to Hogwarts and on the carriage rides, Millie made sure to not sit next to them during the feast and instead elected to sit beside Ginny, with Fred and George sitting on her other side.

"I hope the hats quick this year, I'm bloody starving." Ron groaned, eyeing the empty platters hopefully.

"Didn't you eat like eight pumpkin pasties and a dozen chocolate frogs on the train, Ronald?" Millie asked him pointedly, knowing he had a bottomless stomach but still enjoying teasing him a bit.

"Maybe but that was ages ago. Besides, I didn't get my fill of breakfast this morning because I wanted to save room for tonight."

"Because that makes loads of sense."

"Oh, hush up. You're just cross you've been separated from your boyfriend."

Millie looked at him in annoyance and Ron flushed as he realized what he said but looked to the front since McGonagall had just announced the sorting would be starting. Millie looked that way too, ignoring Fred and George's incredulous whispering, "Boyfriend?" "What did Ron mean by boyfriend, Mil?"

"Shh, the sortings started." Was all Millie said as she focused her complete attention on the terrified little blonde girl that had just had her name called to be sorted.

"Come on, you don't care about what house Gale Lucas goes into so tell us what Ron meant!" George demanded quietly since he was right next to her. Fred looked angry when she looked at him but he stared focused at the front. Seemingly immersed in the fact that Gale Lucas was sorted into Hufflepuff and wanted badly to find out where Ebony Conebush would be sorted.

"Its not a big deal. Cedric just asked me to Hogsmeade and I said yes." Millie informed George, knowing she would get an earful from him later because he had been trying to convince her the whole summer that Fred really did have feelings for her. He looked slightly devastated that she would be going on a date with someone other than his twin. "Stop looking like that, it's just a date."

"But what about Fred?" George whispered directly in her ear to keep Fred from hearing. Millie still glanced at Fred to make sure he hadn't heard but just shrugged in response to George's question because she didn't know what to think about Fred. When George leaned back in to say something else, Millie shook her head because it wasn't the right time to talk about Fred when he was right next to George.

"Well, now that all our First Years have been sorted into their respective houses I only have to say- tuck in!" Headmaster Dumbledore announced and Harry and Ron both cheered, starting to pile their plates with the delicious food.

Millie was reaching for some shepherd's pie when Ginny got her attention by whispering, "Just so you know, Cedric is staring at you very intently Mil." Millie laughed and continued to scoop the shepherd's pie onto her plate before she replied to Ginny. "Thank you for the update Gin, but I think I'll just talk to him later."

"Just wanted to do my friendly duty. Do you want to play Quidditch tomorrow after classes?"

"Maybe. I'll have to see what else is happening tomorrow. As long as the professors don't give us too much homework, I'd be up for a quick game."

Ginny smiled at Millie's answer but jumped in surprise when Hermione let out an exclamation of "House-elves at Hogwarts?!"

Millie turned in surprise to her friend and saw her drink spilling across the table as Hermione absorbed the shock of finding out that Hogwarts employed house-elves. Nearly Headless Nick looked very surprised at Hermiones outburst but Millie and her friends just avoided making eye contact because they knew that this was going to be a whole dreadful thing that Hermione wouldn't let go. Their fears were confirmed when Hermione resolutely pushed her plate away after hearing Nearly Headless Nick state that Hogwarts had the largest population of employed house-elves in all of Britain.

"Hermione, come on. You have to eat, don't be like that." Millie bargained with her, knowing that if she dug her heels in now that they would have an even bigger problem on their hands.

"No, it's disgusting that Hogwarts is supporting slavery!" Hermione hissed so Millie looked at Fred and George, knowing that they had been to the kitchens dozens of times to steal food for parties, sometimes even taking her along.

"Hermione have you ever actually been to the kitchens?" Fred inquired, knowing the answer already.

"Well, no. That's against the rules, isn't it?"

"Well, we have," Fred gestured to himself and George and Millie, "and the house-elves, they love what they do. They love to get us stuff, it would be cruel to take that away from them."

Hermione looked irritated but didn't retort, knowing that Fred had a point. Hermione did look at Millie though and asked, "You've been to the kitchens?" Millie didn't really want to answer but knew Hermione would hound her until she did. "Yes, I have. But Hermione, darling, before you ask, I am not going to take you down there if you plan to whip them in a frenzy about wages and other shit like that. It'll make them less inclined to give us food." Millie explained clearly, gesturing to the twins and herself at the end. Millie knew her friend very well and knew that would be exactly Hermione's goal if she took her to the kitchens.

"You lot hush, Dumbledore about to tell us what the event is!" Ginny hissed at them, successfully gaining everyone's attention and silence.

"Good evening, students, and welcome back to another wonderful year." Dumbledore began his speech, however, the students were distracted by a strange looking man with a wooden leg and fake eye limping in. "Ah yes, first: let me introduce your new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Professor Alastor Moody, a retired auror and old friend. Next, let me remind you all that the Forbidden Forest is strictly off limits to students of all ages. Also, that Zonko's products continue to be banned from the premises. Lastly, it is my distinct pleasure to announce to everyone that Hogwarts will be hosting the Triwizard Tournament. This tournament is a friendly competition between three European schools: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. In this competition a student is chosen to represent each school and will compete in tasks to obtain eternal glory; oh, and a thousand galleons prize money." Dumbledore took a break in his speech as the Great Hall erupted into cheers and conversations about being the Hogwarts champion broke out.

Millie looked down at Fred as he whispered to everyone in his vicinity about his plans to enter the tournament and go for eternal glory. As she remembered her uncles letter about the dangers of competing in the tournament, she swallowed hard against the sudden lump in her throat at the thought of Fred in danger. She shook it off as she looked up for the rest of Dumbledore's speech.

"There have been a few attempts to reinstate this tournament but most have failed. This year all three schools have been working closely with the Ministry of Magic and the Department of Sporting Events. Unfortunately, to make the tournament even safer the Ministry has decided to only allow those wizards that are already of age to enter. Meaning, only students that are already seventeen will be allowed to compete." Headmaster Dumbledore was interrupted again as Fred and George both shouted at the top of their lungs "THAT'S RUBBISH! THAT'S RUBBISH!"

Millie scooted away from the twins to lessen the pain on her ears from their wonderfully loud voices. Her and Ginny exchanged looks and shook their heads in disbelief at the boys outburst.

"SILENCE! Thank you. The Ministry believes that this rule will ensure the safety of all our students, which is our utmost priority. The other schools will be arriving in October and staying for most of the year. But, for now, off to bed! You all have classes in the morning!" Dumbledore ended his speech, clapping his hands and turning to leave.

"They can't stop me from entering, we'll figure something out, won't we Georgie?" Fred argued, wanting nothing more than to argue with the ministry officials himself that made this "rubbish" rule. "Ames, you'll help us figure something out, won't you?" Fred turned to her, looking hopefully but she was interrupted from responding by the sound of her name from behind her.

"Amelia? Do you have a moment?" Cedric Diggory stood behind Millie and the twins, his hands in his robes and an adorable grin on his face. Millie said goodnight to the twins and told them to go on up without her, Fred having to be pulled away by George, but Millie didn't notice as she was taking Cedric's hand and walking with him to say a different kind of goodnight...